THE EFFECTS OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY ON COMMUNICATION

The Effects of Advanced Technology on Communication

The Effects of Advanced Technology on Communication

Introduction

Advances in technology have significantly impacted the way we communicate in both our personal and professional lives. While email, Instant Messaging (IM), texting and other forms of quick electronic communication may have diminished face-to-face interaction, they've also made communication faster and more efficient. The speed of email compared to letter mail and posting content online compared to print publishing are just some of the effects that technology has had on the way we communicate.

Hyper-connectivity

For better or worse, people are now able to stay in constant contact with one another thanks to the advances in technology that have brought us social media. Twitter, Facebook, IMing and texting have let us communicate quicker and more frequently from any location where an Internet connection is accessible. For those who use handheld devices for both work and personal communication, this hyper-connectivity can result in a blurring of boundaries between their work lives and personal lives. Emails and calls are answered from work just as work calls and emails are answered from home.

Cost-savings

Thanks to the advances in technology that have brought us calling cards and websites like Skype, which allow users to call one another for free, telecommunications have become more affordable. Advanced technology has also given us handheld devices that combine services such as phone, fax, email and Internet can also eliminate the need to purchase devices and pay bills for each separate mode of communication.

Obscured Grammar and Spelling

Interaction via texts, IM and Twitter, which all encourage short-form communication, has necessitated a type of tech shorthand referred to as "text lingo," which includes abbreviations and emoticons. In some cases, students who have grown up using text lingo in their personal correspondence have attempted to transfer it to their academic assignments as well, to their own detriment.

Broken Language Barriers

People who once had to rely on translation dictionaries to communicate with those who speak different languages now have more options thanks to advances in technology. They can purchase handheld instant translation devices, use instant translators online, or simply change their browser settings to translate websites into various languages.

Accessibility for Persons With Disabilities

In addition to the increasing prevalence of videos online to accompany written news stories, many word processors now feature audio functions that read text aloud, allowing better accessibility for the visually impaired. People with hearing disabilities have also benefited from alternative modes of communication that are easier for the hearing impaired than telephone communication, like email, text and video conferencing. The information revolution and the extraordinary increase in the spread of knowledge have given birth to a new era--one of knowledge and information which effects directly economic, social, cultural and political activities of all regions of the world, including Africa. Governments worldwide have recognized the role that Information and Communication Technologies could play in socio-economic development. A number of countries especially those in the developed world and some in developing countries are putting in place policies and ...